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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. From what cause does Sykes ultimately die in the story entitled "Sweat"?

2. The story entitled "Book of Harlem" is about a migrant seeking to leave which part of the United States?

3. After the femme fatale in "Monkey Junk" falls for a man based on his possession of a particular object, what does he do?

4. What is the name of the main character featured in the story entitled "Book of Harlem"?

5. With which married man was Daisy's "most prolonged and serious" (174) affair?

Short Essay Questions

1. How many entries are included in "The Eatonville Anthology" and in what form is the story presented?

2. What is the plot of the very brief story entitled "Possum and Pig"?

3. Which object within the story "The Back Room" serves as a symbol of fading youth and beauty?

4. Who is the protagonist of the story "The Book of Harlem" and what qualities does he exhibit?

5. Who is Daisy Taylor?

6. The story entitled "Book of Harlem," not to be confused with the story "The Book of Harlem," focuses on what kind of journey?

7. What sort of reaction do females of all ages have to Mandolin once he reaches New York City?

8. How does Muttsy make his living in the story named after him in Hitting a Straight Lick With a Crooked Stick?

9. What aspect of Joe Clarke's personal life is discussed only in the story entitled "The Eatonville Anthology"?

10. Who is Panic?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss Hurston’s use of metaphor, simile, imagery, and other literary devices as a means to send particular thematic messages within the narrative of Hitting a Straight Lick With a Crooked Stick.

Essay Topic 2

All of the characters in the collection have specific yet varied relationships with money. Examine the theme of money in the text and how it affects the various characters.

Essay Topic 3

Analyze the ways in which the themes of adaptability and resignation appear within Hurston’s collection Hitting a Straight Lick With a Crooked Stick. What message is Hurston sending about these two themes over the course of the narrative?

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